Start Dressing Like A Pro

Things move at an incalculable pace today. As people are pressed for time, only the things that immediately catch our eye capture our attention. This goes for ads, magazine covers, product packaging, and of course, people.

Because we're so busy, looks count for a lot more than they used to. It's what makes the first and most lasting impression, and what reflects one's personality and attitude. In the workplace, this is more important than you might think.

the importance of looking earnest

Having an elegant work get-up is important. It encourages others to take you seriously. This goes for both the new young guy and the aging old-timer. Your words are more likely to fall on deaf ears if you wear an unbuttoned plaid shirt over a faded rock concert T, than if you sport a snappy dress shirt.

If you don't believe me, go to the bank twice, once wearing the former get-up, and once wearing the latter, and see the difference in the treatment you receive.

Snappy clothes will also help you bestow a good first impression. This is crucial when meeting with clients, as well as new people within the company.

A well put together outfit also delivers the subtler message that you pay great attention to detail. It suggests that if you put so much effort into your image, you're probably just as meticulous in your work.

the slow death of business wear

Dress codes vary greatly from company to company, as different working environments demand different styles of attire. Obviously, a Fortune 500 company will have a much more formal dress code than a tech firm, which, in turn, is more formal than a start-up.

Even within companies, dress codes can vary among positions. For instance, a CEO should be better dressed than a programmer.

But since the dot-com craze began, work clothes have become progressively more casual. It started when many Silicon Valley firms found that their employees worked better in relaxed clothing, than in stiffer, more traditional work wear, and so they adopted this casual look as their daily work attire. This slowly trickled down to other companies, as they believed casual clothing would make employees more comfortable, and thus boost productivity.

This is how casual Fridays came about. At first, casual work wear meant a dress shirt and trousers with a sports coat. Then, just a shirt or sweater and pants, until it hit what is seen in many companies today: T-shirts and shorts.

In many companies, casual clothes are the modus operandi five days a week. In fact, it's come to the point where a few firms have implemented formal workdays (usually Wednesday of Thursday), on which employees actually have to dress well.

Such problems arose because companies failed to specify what made up "casual" work attire. This brought about confusion in the workplace, as well as a reduced sense of professionalism. In such an environment, employees may feel less serious about their work, and professional relationships may begin to erode.